College Road challenge

bigmat

I've been enjoying my ride up College Road (Dulwich) recently, I've had a few good races and thought I would time myself last night. Got me thinking, it would be good to have a hill climb challenge. I have posted here as it is more of a commuter challenge than a road racing challenge and I know a few of you ride a similar route to me. I timed myself from the toll booth at the bottom to the give way at the top of Fountain Drive. Last night's effort was a solid but unspectacular 3:25, would be interesting to see how others compare! (ride done with work bag, on winter road bike)

Name.......................Time.........Mnth....
MatHammond...........3:25.........Sep.....

ketsbaia

Oh, I'll have a crack at that soon. Used to cycle up and down Dulwich Wood Park/College Road for Marmotte training, but did the College Road/Fountain Drive alternative once or twice.

the_hundredth_idiot

Thankfully I reach my house just before that climb so haven't had the "pleasure" of timing myself up it.

HamishD

I'll give it a go next week en route to the gf's. Don't think I'll get anywhere near 3.25 though!

greg66_tri_v2.0

MatHammond wrote:

I timed myself from the toll booth at the bottom

Standing or rolling start?

bigmat

Greg66 wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

I timed myself from the toll booth at the bottom

Standing or rolling start?

rolling (round the side of the barrier)!

Clarion

Oh bother.

That's close enough to be doable, while being a PITA diversion from my normal route.

And it's a naaasty road, but the challenge makes it very tempting.

Can I post an estimated time as a placemarker till I can get down there to ride it?

Clarion 1hr Um, sometime...

greg66_tri_v2.0

Clarion wrote:

Oh bother.

That's close enough to be doable, while being a PITA diversion from my normal route.

And it's a naaasty road, but the challenge makes it very tempting.

Wouldn't say "nasty", but it has its moments. It's almost flat for a fair chunk just before halfway. The sting though is that after the flat it kicks up, then kicks steeper, and saves the last kick for the very last stretch up to the give way (the last time I rode with with a gradient-measuring computer it was coming up at 10% for the final kick).

Pacing is key.

Clarion

Yep. It's nasty because of the kicks, and because I meet it on my way home (last time was into a stiff eheadwind, too).

My normal commute is ridiculously flat. Except for the rise over Clapham Common, there are no gradients to note from my town to my work - 11 miles.

CXXC

will happily give this a go next time i'm heading down to beckenham and beyond

CXXC

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

greg66_tri_v2.0

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

That is College Road (isn't it?). You go through the toll gate, up the short rise, then it levels a bit. You go past the entrance to Sydenham Hill station and the church on the right, then it rises again with the first of three quite distinct gradients, culminating in a give way junction and a mini roundabout, directly across the road from the foot of the TV transmitter tower.

That's the one I'm thinking of, anyway.

TheStone

Bit of a detour, but will give it a go next week.

CXXC

Greg66 wrote:

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

That is College Road (isn't it?). You go through the toll gate, up the short rise, then it levels a bit. You go past the entrance to Sydenham Hill station and the church on the right, then it rises again with the first of three quite distinct gradients, culminating in a give way junction and a mini roundabout, directly across the road from the foot of the TV transmitter tower.

That's the one I'm thinking of, anyway.

you are talking about college road, i'm talking about sydenham hill (other side of the golf club and park), but i'm guessing with all this talk of "nasty kicks" it must be pretty similar gradients involved

deptfordmarmoset

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

Between Sydenham Rise and the mini roundabout? That's probably a little bit steeper than the top of Fountain Drive but it comes after a short steep climb so it feels more like a sharp shock rather than a sustained climb.

EDIT: But yes, they're similar in that they save the worst till last.

CXXC

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

Between Sydenham Rise and the mini roundabout? That's probably a little bit steeper than the top of Fountain Drive but it comes after a short steep climb so it feels more like a sharp shock rather than a sustained climb.

EDIT: But yes, they're similar in that they save the worst till last.

yep, you know the one DM!! It completely knocks any momentum you may have had out of you.

wulfhound

Will give this one a go next week, it's one of my regular routes home.

ketsbaia

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

No. That stretch is 12%, but it's only around 25 yards.

The bit at the top of fountain drive is 10% I believe, but slightly longer.

bigmat

The one off Lordship Lane is Kirkdale I think, shorter and steeper than College Road / Fountain Drive.

lms

Greg66 wrote:

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

That is College Road (isn't it?). You go through the toll gate, up the short rise, then it levels a bit. You go past the entrance to Sydenham Hill station and the church on the right, then it rises again with the first of three quite distinct gradients, culminating in a give way junction and a mini roundabout, directly across the road from the foot of the TV transmitter tower.

That's the one I'm thinking of, anyway.

I think we need some clarification here. The route you've just described is the way I ride home - past the toll booth, and past Sydenham Hill station. However, at the top of the next crest is a right turn, and that is actually the continuation of College Road which brings you up to some traffic lights opposite the foot of the transmitter. If you ignore this turn and carry on up the hill you are actually now on Fountain drive - and this brings you up to a mini roundabout. I presume this is the route the original poster means ...

deptfordmarmoset

lms, yes, I'm pretty sure that's the route that Mat Hammond meant. Rolling start from the cycle lane alongside the toll gate up to the Give Way line at the top of Fountain Drive. I've just had a look at the route - it's 1.3 km, rising 57 metres. (4.4% Incline I think)

Incidentally, has anyone ever gone up the pathway behind the white railings opposite Sydenham Hill Station. It's got a kissing gate that looks large enough to get a bike through easily, I didn't see any No Cycling signs, it's tarmacked and it leads up to right by the Dulwich Wood House (or whatever that big pub's called.)? It's about 400 m and rises 43 m so it's over 10%). With a pub at the top! If there aren't any steps, it could be one of those unnecessarily hard detours to vary your ride home.

EDIT: there's no street view of the College Road end - Google didn't want to pay the toll - but this is the exit at the top with a similar kissing gate (and if you rotate through 180 degrees you'll find the pub) http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 28,,1,9.93

greg66_tri_v2.0

lms wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

CXXC wrote:

does it ever get as steep as the gradient at the top of the climb from lordship lane up sydenham hill to the mini roundabout?

That is College Road (isn't it?). You go through the toll gate, up the short rise, then it levels a bit. You go past the entrance to Sydenham Hill station and the church on the right, then it rises again with the first of three quite distinct gradients, culminating in a give way junction and a mini roundabout, directly across the road from the foot of the TV transmitter tower.

That's the one I'm thinking of, anyway.

I think we need some clarification here. The route you've just described is the way I ride home - past the toll booth, and past Sydenham Hill station. However, at the top of the next crest is a right turn, and that is actually the continuation of College Road which brings you up to some traffic lights opposite the foot of the transmitter. If you ignore this turn and carry on up the hill you are actually now on Fountain drive - and this brings you up to a mini roundabout. I presume this is the route the original poster means ...

Yes - that (ignoring the right turn) is the one I mean as well. Ignore my reference to the tv transmitter. It's not helpful and not right. The transmitter is opposite the traffic lit entrance to the "plateau" at the top, and not near the mini roundabout at all. I think I may be thinking of a gate or some type of noticeable fencing opposite the give way junction. Never mind.

greg66_tri_v2.0

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

lms, yes, I'm pretty sure that's the route that Mat Hammond meant. Rolling start from the cycle lane alongside the toll gate up to the Give Way line at the top of Fountain Drive. I've just had a look at the route - it's 1.3 km, rising 57 metres. (4.4% Incline I think)

Incidentally, has anyone ever gone up the pathway behind the white railings opposite Sydenham Hill Station. It's got a kissing gate that looks large enough to get a bike through easily, I didn't see any No Cycling signs, it's tarmacked and it leads up to right by the Dulwich Wood House (or whatever that big pub's called.)? It's about 400 m and rises 43 m so it's over 10%). With a pub at the top! If there aren't any steps, it could be one of those unnecessarily hard detours to vary your ride home.

EDIT: there's no street view of the College Road end - Google didn't want to pay the toll - but this is the exit at the top with a similar kissing gate (and if you rotate through 180 degrees you'll find the pub) http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 28,,1,9.93

When I was at school (no prizes), the cross country [sic] route used to come down there. Running down there too fast = retching.

deptfordmarmoset

When I was at school (no prizes), the cross country [sic] route used to come down there. Running down there too fast = retching.

So you were probably too traumatised to remember whether there were steps. But there are no No Cycling signs and, at least from the bottom, the tarmac looked reasonably smooth and steep. I'll have an explore but I think it might be wise to repair my broken front brake cable before I try descending it....

Specialized Needs

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

When I was at school (no prizes), the cross country [sic] route used to come down there. Running down there too fast = retching.

So you were probably too traumatised to remember whether there were steps. But there are no No Cycling signs and, at least from the bottom, the tarmac looked reasonably smooth and steep. I'll have an explore but I think it might be wise to repair my broken front brake cable before I try descending it....

No steps this time last year when I foolishly allowed TFL to route me through there on my Sirrus (and I initially missed the entrance because of the kissing gate - bike just fitted reversed in). Hauling my 18st up there (and panniers) was not fun. It was granny gear and out of the saddle for me most of the way up

Very nearly sick; and with the time I spent at the top recovering, it would have been quicker to push the bike. I certainly wouldn't ride down it!

The run down to Kirkdale was fun though.

deptfordmarmoset

Specialized Needs wrote:

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

When I was at school (no prizes), the cross country [sic] route used to come down there. Running down there too fast = retching.

So you were probably too traumatised to remember whether there were steps. But there are no No Cycling signs and, at least from the bottom, the tarmac looked reasonably smooth and steep. I'll have an explore but I think it might be wise to repair my broken front brake cable before I try descending it....

No steps this time last year when I foolishly allowed TFL to route me through there on my Sirrus (and I initially missed the entrance because of the kissing gate - bike just fitted reversed in). Hauling my 18st up there (and panniers) was not fun. It was granny gear and out of the saddle for me most of the way up

Very nearly sick; and with the time I spent at the top recovering, it would have been quicker to push the bike. I certainly wouldn't ride down it!

The run down to Kirkdale was fun though.

In a very perverse kind of way, you're making it sound like fun...even the downhill bit

Specialized Needs

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

In a very perverse kind of way, you're making it sound like fun...even the downhill bit

You are a very sick man :twisted:

I kept to the left on the way up as pedestrians stayed the other side. I assumed it was cyclable as the TFL route planner bordered that bit with a green line (not that it is infallible):

Route signed for cyclists through park or beside canal or river. Usually shared with pedestrians.

Not much margin for error downhill - lacking a run off at the end IIRC.

the_hundredth_idiot

When I was at school (no prizes), the cross country [sic] route used to come down there. Running down there too fast = retching.

[cough]Dulwich College[/cough]

I've walked my dog up there and run up there a few times with the Dulwich Runners. Bit steep for a bike, though. I'd want a granny ring.

I feel sufficiently challenged to take a detour on the way home on Monday to see what time I can make up College Road/Fountain Drive. Will post my time on Monday.

jonny_trousers

Sign me up! That road is no longer on my commute, but I'm just down the road and my lovely, new Pearson Touche is in a pretty low gear right now.

Harveytile

Well I didn't plan to time myself but thought I'd see what a not too hectic effort would give...

Harveytile............3:48...............Sept 2010...........Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed) :roll:

I do think 15 seconds could be knocked off quite easily so sub 3:30 is on the way 8) .

HamishD

Did this on the way back from Kingston on Saturday afternoon.

Hungover, stiff breeze head wind, standing start (getting my excuses in early) = 3.45